The Advance Education in General Dentistry (AEGD) Clinic

Dental Care

The AEGD Clinic is part of the College of Dental Medicine’s
post-graduate training mission. The resident doctors are participating in a one
or two-year Advanced Education in General Dentistry program which is fully
accredited by the American Dental Associations, Commission on Dental Accreditation.
The Residents are recent graduates who are competitively selected to
participate in this program in advanced academic and clinical training.

The residents work in the clinic with faculty members from the
College of Dental Medicine, all of whom have had both formal postgraduate
training in primary care and extensive clinical experience. The clinic’s
supporting staff members are a group of very talented individuals dedicated
solely to this specific clinic’s daily functions.

Services

The care available at the AEGD clinic is comprehensive in nature and is similar to the care one would receive in a private practice general dentistry office.

Services available include:

Routine cleanings

Fillings

Crowns

Bridges

Dentures

Extractions

Advanced dental implants

Esthetic procedures

One visit crowns

Consultations with other specialists in the College are commonly done providing convenient second opinions for patients with complex issues. At times patient care may involve coordination with other specialty clinics within the MUSC campus.

Fees

Services are paid for as they are provided. The fee for the initial appointment (see below) is $308.00. Patients may pay with cash, check, or credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, Discover or American Express). Services that require multiple visits to accomplish may be paid over several visits if 50 percent of the fee is paid at the beginning of the procedure and the balance is paid prior to the completion appointment. The cashiers will provide you with an insurance claim form detailing all of the procedures that were done for you once they are completed and paid for. You may then fill in your personal information on the form and send it directly to your insurance company to request reimbursement payments directly to you. Please note: The College of Dental Medicine is not “In Network” for any insurance company; not all services are covered by every insurance company and those covered may not be covered at 100 percent. It is the patient’s responsibility to be familiar with his/her insurance coverage.

Clinic Hours

The clinic operates year round, generally Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with the following exceptions:

Become a Patient

Each patient is thoroughly evaluated and receives a personalized treatment plan based upon each patient’s individualized needs, concerns, and goals. Generally, anyone who can be treated in a private general dental practice can be treated in the AEGD clinic.

Initial Appointment

Initial appointments are scheduled to gather personalized records, gather information and begin discussions on various treatment options. his initial appointment includes a comprehensive exam and x-ray series, study models of your teeth, and if appropriate and time permits a dental cleaning. If there are complex issues it may be necessary to finalize a detailed plan after consultation with other specialists. The fee for the initial appointment which includes the above services is $290.00. If the patient has current x-rays of good quality they should have them sent to the clinic prior to the scheduled appointment, this may allow for a reduction in costs for the appointment. Please have them emailed to: CDMimages@MUSC.edu

All x-rays taken will be done in a digital format and securely kept in our databank. You may request to have that x-ray sent through the Internet anywhere you wish in the future as long as you provide us with an official written release. It will always remain legally secured because it is private personal health information, but if you need it somewhere else it can be sent with minimal effort. It will also arrive there with no loss of quality because of its digital format, a feature that is true for all of the x-rays we are now taking with our new equipment.

If you would like to schedule an initial appointment please call 843-876-SMIL(E), our staff is available Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. to assist you.

Resident General Dentistry Clinic Compared to the Student Clinic

Both areas provide excellent professional care at reduced fees for their patients. The pre-doctoral (student) clinic is less expensive. Patients whose needs are too complex for the pre-doctoral students are referred to the AEGD clinic from the screening clinic.

Time Requirements

While both the student and resident (AEGD) clinics emphasize comprehensive care, the AEGD practitioners are fully trained and licensed dentists and can manage more complex situations when both the timing and integration of treatment procedures become important.

Treatment progression is faster in the AEGD Clinic. For some patients, this may be preferable.

Appointments

Appointment scheduling is much more flexible in the AEGD Clinic. This may be a critical factor for patients with limited personal time.

Case Complexity

Some multidisciplinary cases may be managed more effectively at the Graduate Program (AEGD) level.

Cost

The AEGD Clinic fees are higher than the pre-doctoral clinic fees. While they are generally 20 percent to 30 percent less than the fees in a private practice, they may still be significantly more than the fees in the pre-doctoral clinics.

Patients cannot be registered in both the AEGD and pre-doctoral clinics at the same time. If you would prefer to become a patient in the pre-doctoral clinic you may call them for a screening appointment at 843-876-SMIL(E). We are not able to refer you directly to the pre-doctoral program.

Parking

On-street
metered parking is available on Bee Street, as well as parking in the President
Street Garage at the
intersection of President Street and Bee Street. A per-hour charge applies to
patients parking in the President Street garage. The dental clinic does not validate or reimburse parking fees. Shuttle service is available by request for
patients needing assistance.